1. Field of The Invention
The invention relates to the retention feature and the coupling feature of an electrical connector which is adapted to mate a complementary connector, especially to a combination of the retention and coupling features.
2. The Prior Art
The typical Input/output (I/O) port connector generally includes a retention device such as a boardlock positioned proximate the bottom surface of the connector and adapted to be mounted on a board against which such bottom surface abuts, and a coupling device such as a threaded insert positioned proximate the mating surface of the connector and adapted to be connected, through a screw, to a complementary connector or a backpanel of the computer against which such mating surface abuts. Most I/O connectors are of right angle type of which the retention device (and/or mounting surface) and the coupling device (and/or mating surface) are perpendicular to each other, for example, U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,435,031, 4,512,618, 4,679,883, 4,709,973, 4,717,219, 4,721,473, 4,795 353, 4,842,552, 4,865,555, 4,911,659 4,938,704, 4,943,244, 5,004,430, 5,024,607, 5,066,237, 5,083,926, 5,085,589, 5,104,326, 5,108,312 and 5,249,974. It is noted that some of the aforementioned patents disclose the separate L-shaped bracket or the plate portion integral with the shield of the connector or with the retention device to electrically connect the retention device and the coupling device for grounding and/or structural reinforcement consideration. Other I/O connectors are deemed as the vertical type of which the mating surface and the mounting surface are parallel to each other, and thus the retention device and the coupling device are generally axially aligned, for example, U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,824,398, 4,874,336 and 4,895,535.
The object of the invention of this application is to solve some disadvantages mainly experienced in the vertical type connector such as U.S. Pat. No. 4,824,398. As shown in FIG. 1, the conventional vertical type connector 2 includes the insulative housing 200 composed of the top half 202 and the bottom half 204, and a shield 206 positioned at the top. The housing 200 has a plurality of passageways 208 extending therethrough for reception of a corresponding number of contacts 210 therein. The housing 200 and the shield 206 have apertures 212 at two opposite ends for receiving the two corresponding integral threaded inserts and boardlocks 214, respectively. It can be understood that, in the right angle type connector, the retention device and the coupling device are respectively located on the horizontal mounting surface and the vertical mating surface so that a relatively sufficient space is available thereabout to easily configure the positions and the structures of such retention device and the coupling device, respectively. Differently, in the vertical type connector the mounting surface and the mating surface are closely parallel to each other, so that the retention device and the coupling device are configured axially aligned with each other due to the limited space available therebetween. Thus, this structural requirement generally results in the retention device and the coupling device being made of one piece and integral with each other, as shown in FIG. 1 of this application or in U.S. Pat. No. 4,824,398.
Because the coupling device generally is provided with the internal threads to corporate the screw for fastening, it is required for such coupling device to be stiff. Hence, the coupling device and its associated integral retention device are generally made of stiff material and lathed to be their final shapes. It can be appreciated that such lathing process, including cutting the slot 216 and turning internal holes 215 and 217, takes time. On the other hand, the retention device, i.e., the boardlock, is expected to be elastic enough for easy insertion into the hole of the board on which the connector is mounted, and for efficiently retaining the connector thereon. Additionally, using a stiff boardlock also prohibits a relatively larger tolerance applied to the combination of the hole of the board and the boardlock. Therefore, the high precision of the dimensions of the board or the boardlock is required that will complicate the manufacturing and cost money.
Another disadvantage is that the threaded insert portion 218 has an internal hole 215 for receiving the corresponding screw (not shown), the boardlock portion 220 also has an internal hole 217 for allowing the leg 222 of the boardlock portion 220 to move inwardly during mounting onto the board (not shown), and these two internal holes 215 and 217 are not expected to be communicate with each other. The reason is that the solder may inappropriately contaminate or stuff the hole 215 of the insert portion 218 through the communicating hole 217 of the boardlock portion 220 during the wave soldering process which fastens the boardlock portion 220 to the board. Under this situation, the screw can not thread into the insert portion 218 for securement thereto. Therefore, the internal hole 215 of the insert portion 218 and the internal hole 217 of the boardlock portion 220 are segregated with each other by the solid intermediate plate 224. This segregation will make it difficult to lathe the internal threads of insert portion 218, and result in less threads therein which is unfavorable to securely fasten a screw therein.
Accordingly, the object of the invention is to provide an assembly not only including the threaded insert portion and the boardlock portion fastened to each other in a compact size for compliance with the structural requirement of the vertical type connector, but also satisfying the expectation of the elasticity of the boardlock leg and of the sufficient threads of the insert portion to hold the screw therein, and simplifying the manufacturing thereof.